Photographic camera



3 Sheets Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

A. H.-BROMLEY, Jr. PHOTOGRAPHIO CAMERA.

Patented Nov. 2,1897.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. BROMLEY, Jr.

PHOTOGRAPHIG CAMERA.

No. 593,010. Patented Nov. 2,1897.

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Tm: uonms PETERS co, PNOTO-LIYNQ, WAEHINGTCL u a (No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3. A. H. BROMLEY, Jr.

PHOTOGRAPHIG CAMERA. No. 593,010.

Patented Nov. 2, 18,97.

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lNiiTED STATES.

NATENI @rrrcn.

ALBERT II. BROMLEY, JR, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 593,010, dated November2, 1897. Application filed October 10,1896- Serial No. 608,432. (Nomodel.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT I-I. BROMLEY, J r., a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of the city and county of Philadelphia, State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPhotographic Cameras, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates in general to improvements in photographic cameras,and more particularly to improvements in that class of cameras theplate-holders or the swing-back of which are inclosed in a box and whichare not conveniently or possibly visible when the machine is in use; andthe object of my i11- vention is to furnish a device by means of whichthe sensitive plate or the holder carrying the plate can be positivelyset in a position perpendicular to the ground before the sensitive plateis exposed. To obtain a correct picture, it is necessary that the platebe perfectly plumb or perpendicular to the ground. If it is not, thevertical lines in the object being photographeda building, forinstance-will appear to converge or diverge in the negative, andconsequently the negative will be distorted and will not be a true copyof the subject.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification and inwhich similar letters of reference indicate similar parts throughout theseveral views, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a closed camera fittedwith my improvement; Fig. 2, a similar view, the camera being tilted,showing my means for adjusting and showing the position of theplate-holder and the plate at the time of making the exposure; Fig. 3, aperspective view of another form of closed-back camera to which myimprovement is attached; Fig. 4:, a perspective view of a modified formof leveling device; Fig. 5,, a view showing a rod connecting the armwhich carries the level and the pointer the turning of which focuses thelens by means of which the lens is automatically focused for differentpositions of the plate-holder, and Fig. 6 a perspective view of amodifiedform of device for leveling the instrument and plumbing theplate. Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, A is a box whichcarries thelens B and the plate-holders O. The box A is, when the plate-holders Oare filled, entirely closed and its interior invisible. Theplate-holders C, of which there are a number, are carried on pivots attheir lower ends, and by suitable mechanism can be dropped down one at atime, moving about their pivots very much as the leaves of a book. Ifthis camera is held perfectly horizontally during the exposure of theplates that it carries, which position can be determined by an ordinaryhand-level, and if the plate being exposed is left in its normal orperpendicularposition, as shown in Fig. 1, its work will be entirelysatisfactory; but if it is necessary to tilt the camera so as to get onthe plate parts of the view that would not be seen otherwise, it isnecessary to furnish some positive means for placing the plate-holderperpendicular in order to obtain satisfactory results. Guesswork isusually resorted to to accomplish this end, but usually with poorresults.

In cameras of the class now under consideration a shaft having ashoulder D, adapted to be engaged and turned bya clock-key, projectsacross and through one of the sides of the box A and is furnished withan arm E, (shown in dotted lines,) which is adapted when the shaft isturned by the key to engage and move down, one at a time, theplate-holders C. To the clock-key or to an arm F, taking its place, Iattach alevel G, and bymeans of this level, which is when in use atright angles to the arm E and to the plate-holder which the arm E isengaging and moving, I am able instantly to move the plate-holder into avertical position, which is shown by the central position of the bubblein the level, as illustrated in Fig. 2.

In instruments of the kind just described the lens is focused by meansof a graduated scale previously experimentally adjusted and a pointer orits equivalent connected with said scale and the moving lens of theinstrument. This scale is adjusted for the horizontal position of thebox A, as shown in Fig. 1.

If the plate-holder O is moved, as shown in the graduations on one willcorrespond with the graduations on the other. If, new, I have focused mylens by means of the scale for the position of the plate shown in Fig. 1and I have moved down arm F, as shown in Fig. 2, five points on thescale or plate II, it will be necessary for me to move down the pointerP, connected with the lens, five points on scale I to compensate for theforward movement of the plate-holder C.

Instead of making two operations of plumbing the plate and refocusingthe lens to correspond to the changed position of the plate, the arm F,which carries the level G, and the pointer P may be connected by a rodB, Fig. 5, and any movement of the arm F will be by the red Ittransmitted to the pointer P, and thence through the interveningmechanism to the lens. The rod Ris furnished with perforations or pinsadapted to engage pins or perforations carried by pointer P. The pointerP is first moved so as to focus the lens for the plate in its normalposition. (Shown in Fig. 1.) The rod R is now, by means of the pins andperforations or any equivalent means, attached to the pointer P, and thearm F is moved until the level G shows the plate to be plumb. Themovement of the arm Fhas caused the pointer P to be moved the properdistance to refocus the lens for the changed position of the plate, andthis latter can be now exposed with certainty that it is both plumb andin proper focus.

The proper position for attaching the red It to the arm F and to thepointer P will be determined by experiment.

The refocusing of the lens by this device may not be exactly perfect forevery position of the plate, but it will be near enough for allpractical purposes.

In Fig. 3 my leveling attachment is shown applied to a camera furnishedwith a swingback. I11 this case the swing-back is centrally pivoted, andhence no adjustment of the lens is required for its movements, as thecenter of the plate is always at the same distance from thelens,supposing, of course, that the bellows or the lens have not been movedin or out. As before, A is the box inelosing the swing-back, whichcarries the plateholder.

G G are levels placed at right angles to each other, carried by a stemJ, which is attached in any suitable manner to the top of the swingbackand which passes through a slot Kin top of box A. The level G is used toplace the swing-back in a vertical position and the level G to place theplate with its upper and lower edges horizontally. It will be seen thatthe level G may be attached directly to top of swingback L and observedthrough slot K in top of box A.

Instead of attaching level G, as above described, to the swing-back itmay be attached to one of the pivots upon which the swingback works. Forthis purpose the pivot, as M, would be flattened out and continuedthrough the side of the box A, and a clockkcy arrangement, as N, Fig.4:, carrying the level G, would be placed on the end of the pivot andthe level would show at once when the plate was vertical. In cameras ofthe class shown in Fig. 3 this latter arrangement would be thepreferable one, as very small changes would have to be made to adaptthem to this invention.

In Fig. 6 I show a plumb-bob arrangement by means of which both thevertical position of the plate and the horizontal position of its upperand lower edges may be scertained. In this modification the stem J,which corresponds to the stem J shown in Fig. 3 and which may beattached to the swing-back in the same manner, carries a frame 0, fromwhich the plumb is suspended. A suitable mark indicates the center ofthe upper end of stem J, and when the plumb swings to this mark itindicates that the face of the sensitive plate is perpendicular and thatits upper and lower edges are horizontal-in other words, that the plateis in proper position to receive the picture.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent-- 1. The combination with the swing-back or swingingplate of a closed photographic camera, of an arm carried by and movingwith the swing-back or swinging plate-holdcr and projecting outwardthrough the closed back, and a level carried by said arm, substantiallyas and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination in a closcd-back camera, of a swing-back or swingingplate-holder, a pivot or shaft upon which or around which saidswing-back or plate-holder can turn, a level and means for attachingsaid level to said pivot and at right angles to said plate holder orswing-back.

3. The combination in a closed-back photographic camera, of anadjustable lens, plateholders adapted to be swung backward or forward,means for indicating upon the outside of said camera the position of theplate holders, and devices connecting said plateholder and the lenswhereby the latter will be automatically focused for the severalpositions of the plate-holder.

at. The combination in a closed-back photographic camera, of swingingplate-holders, an arm. outside the camera adapted to be attached atright angles to and to move with said plate-holder, a level carried bysaid arm, an adjustable lens, means for moving said.

lens in or out in order to focus it, a pointer connected with saidfocusing means, a rod connecting said level-carrying arm and saidpointer, and means whereby said arm may be adjustably attached to saidpointer.

5. The combination in a closed photo-- graphic camera of swingingplate-holders pivoted at their lower ends, a shaft about which saidplate-holders maybe revolved, an arm or arms within the camera carriedby said to said first scale, along which said pointer sweeps,substantially as and for the purposes 10 set forth.

ALBERT H. BROMLEY, J R.

Witnesses:

CHRISTOPHER FALLoN, OHAs. A. BUTTER.

